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9
Establishments for Massage and Special Treatment
The registration of establishments for massage and special treatment is delegated to the Borough
Council under Part XII of the Middlesex County Council Act, 1944.
During the year there were 22 licences renewed and 2 new licences issued. In one case exemption
from licensing was claimed under the Act for a registered member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.
All premises have been inspected and found to be satisfactory.
Health Education
The cost of the health services is still mounting because of the increased expenditure on hospitals
and other curative services. Unless more attention is paid to prevention, the health services may well be
heading for serious financial difficulties. An enlightened citizen, with a knowledge of the principles of
health and practising the simple rules of hygiene, can play an active part in improving the health services
of an area.
The department has based its health education mainly on 27 lectures with 52 films and filmstrips.
As far as possible, health education in the schools is linked with a hygiene or biology syllabus. Brains trusts
are held at the end of each term, and the school children always display a keen interest and show clearly that
they are gaining much useful knowledge of health.
Altogether, 171 health talks and film shows were given in 21 schools by the Area Medical Officer
and members of his staff, the Chief Sanitary Inspector and his staff, the Public Relations Officer and others.
1,525 school children attended these lectures, with attendances of 30 to 200 pupils. Arrangements were made
for parties of school children to visit a hospital, and a school for teaching and training the blind.
A well informed mother is usually a capable mother. Caring adequately for her infant, she can
relieve general practitioners and hospitals of some of their heavy burdens in dealing with the sick. There
is no doubt that maternal and child welfare continue to play an important role in reducing illness and even
death among mothers and children.
126 mothercraft classes were held at the three clinics, and many talks (some with filmstrips) were
given by doctors, health visitors, midwives and clinic nurses. Advice and help were also given to 8,098
mothers in their own homes by the health visitors during their routine visits.
Mothers clubs, which were commenced in June, 1953, have been much appreciated. Talks were
given on subjects such as cookery, sewing, chiropody, home nursing, first aid, travel and make-up. The
clubs have been held weekly at Kilburn Health Clinic, and until October, 1954, monthly at Anson Road,
Primary School.
The day nurseries are also important meeting places for health workers and the public. Here,
the staff and parents can come together and discuss the health of children under their care. At the
nine-day nursery parent clubs, 5 health talks were given by the Area Medical Officer and his staff, and 18
other meetings and social evenings were arranged.
Religious, social and political organisations continue to apply to the department for health lectures
and all their requests have been answered. 33 talks were given to 27 organisations on 26 different subjects.
1,150 people attended the lectures, with attendances ranging from 10 to 85.
Health workers themselves need post-graduate education. Health education films were shown and
lectures given, often by outside lecturers, to separate meetings of doctors, sanitary inspectors, health visitors
and day nursery matrons and their deputies. These meetings are held regularly, and the interesting discussions
that follow many of them have been most valuable and keep staff abreast with recent advances in
technique in their special subjects. A summer school in Health Education was arranged by the Central
Council for Health Education and held at Bangor from 17th to 27th August, 1954. The Council sent the
Chief Sanitary Inspector as their representative, and much useful information was gained and passed on to
his colleagues.
During the year a party of students studying at the University of London Institute of Education
for the Diploma in Health Education visited Willesden on several occasions in order to gain practical
experience.
At the end of the year it was decided to explore the possibility of giving talks to factory staff
during lunch-hour breaks. Several factory managements were approached and the response was most
encouraging. Four talks were given by the Medical Officer of Health; approximately 2,400 factory
workers attended the talks, and attendances ranged from 400 to 1,000. It is hoped that this form of health
education will become an important part of this work during 1955.